BEZOAR TAŞI: ORTA ÇAĞ VE YENİ ÇAĞ’DA ZEHİRLERE KARŞI DOĞAL BİR PANZEHİR
BEZOAR STONE: A NATURAL ANTIDOTE TO POISONS IN THE MIDDLE AND MODERN AGE

Summary/Abstract: This study provides detailed information on the different properties of bezoar, which has been used as an antidote, based on Middle Ages and Early Modern sources. Specifically, it will focus on the animal type of bezoar obtained from wild goats, among the various animal and mineral types. İn the medieval, the terms "pa d-zehr" or "ba-zehr," meaning "protecting against poisons," evolved into the European term "bezoar." This concept, while not widely recognized in antiquity, gained prominence during the medieval, peaking in the modern era due to new geographical discoveries. However, interest began to wane by the late nineteenth century. Bezoars from İran are considered the highest quality, but examples exist from İndia, İndonesia, and Peru. Medically, bezoars are typically ground into powder and mixed with liquid to treat poisonings. They are also worn in jewellery for protection against sudden poisoning. However, counterfeit bezoars are prevalent due to their rarity, with estimates suggesting that around ninety percent of marketed bezoars are fake. Methods for testing their authenticity were developed by physicians and jewellers in the Middle Ages.

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